How to Win

No-Cut Policy

Before you ever cut a player, take this quiz. I found it on John Kessel’s excellent blog for USA Volleyball.
Making cuts always involves pain — both for the coach and the players. That alone should be incentive to cut as few kids as possible.

But there’s a better reason not to cut than that it’s a painful process. It’s good not to cut because we just never know who will emerge as a star. Sometimes the most unlikely candidate will do it. Who knows? You maybe be cutting the next Olympian?
I know one thing for sure — In my 20 years of coaching, almost every cut I’ve made has been wrong. I’ve kept kids who wound up not developing, and I’ve cut people who could have helped the team on attitude alone.
OK, maybe you can say I’ve got a lousy eye in tryouts. But if that’s true, then professional coaches have that same lousy eye. Every year, no matter what the sport, a highly drafted player will flop. And a player drafted near the end of the day will become a sensation.
In some cases, you can’t avoid cuts. There might be a certain number of uniforms. Or a limited amount of space and coaches. But whenever possible, keep as many kids as you can. Go with a no-cut policy. You will be amazed by who will amaze you.